# Porto Night



## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

We had a little porto last night. Nothing fancy, but all three were winners. The Gould Campbell '77 is hard to find and 1977 is one of the most famous port vintages. The Graham '80 is a difficult bottle to find, as most 1980 ports. Very overlooked vintage and worth getting any 1980 vintages you can find. I've had a few other 1980's and all have been good; this is no exception, but when has there ever been a lousy Graham? The Fonseca '83 started out disappointing, but turned around into a wonderful port. I am excited about this one as I just bought a case and opened my worst bottle.

As for cigars. I started with Monte No. 4 and then Partagas Serie du Conn. 1. My girlfriend had QdO Corona and my friend had a Cohiba Lancero, Partagas Churchill, and Cohiba Maduro. A great night, considering 3 of us killed 3 bottles of port, I feel good this morning!

Ready for a bike ride.


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

Nothing fancy? Boy, I'd love to see the "good stuff"!! :tu

Sounds like a stellar evening!


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Thanks. The fancy evenings are like 1900, 1927, 1945, 1896... My friend is writing a book on port so just about every weekend we drink 3-5 different ones. I think we've had over 100 vintages.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

icehog3 said:


> Nothing fancy? Boy, I'd love to see the "good stuff"!! :tu
> 
> Sounds like a stellar evening!


We had a fun wine also; Diamond Creek. We've been drinking the 77's and 79's. Wow! Some of the best Cal. wine probably ever bottled, or at least that I have tried.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

This was an exciting port/champagne night! New Year's Eve, we started out with this:










Followed by:










we proceeded with a post mid-night celebration at a friend's house and brought along a magnum of 1970 Croft which I did not take a picture of.

The Cristal rose was a hard bottle to sabre. That was a big dollar bottle of Champagne as you probably could imagine! Real experience to taste such a toasty champagne, like Parmaesan cheese all the way.


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## DETROITPHA357 (Jul 8, 2006)

:dr:dr:dr:dr:dr:drPort:dr:dr:dr


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

Just some awesome Portos there...good any way you look at it! :tu


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## tedski (Oct 1, 2004)

WTF? Hey Obi-wan ... Did you open those port bottles with your light sabre again?


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## JacksonCognac (Nov 12, 2007)

tedski said:


> WTF? Hey Obi-wan ... Did you open those port bottles with your light sabre again?


I have the same question - it certainly looks like it. For some reason I thought they only did that with champagne.

edit - very cool pictures by the way. The world of port sounds fascinating.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

tedski said:


> WTF? Hey Obi-wan ... Did you open those port bottles with your light sabre again?


Close. Actually the port bottles were opened with port tongs.

The tongs are cast iron and are heated red hot with a torch. Once red hot, they are clapped around the port bottle neck for a couple of minutes, then once removed, a cold wet towel is wrapped around the neck and the heat difference makes a "clank" and breaks neck of the bottle perfect. This is done so the bottle can be broken around the cork to verify the vintage. Very old fashion way of opening port, but it's the way many collectors open vintage port. Cork screws usually destroy the cork.

One is suppose to be able to use a sabre to break the end off a port bottle, but I have never tried.


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## sgt_etool (Feb 20, 2008)

:dr:dr:dr:dr

AAAHHHHHHHH, VINTAGE PORTS!!!!!!

"ADOPT ME, ADOPT ME, I CAN WIPE MY OWN ASS!" - BIG DADDY


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## JacksonCognac (Nov 12, 2007)

mosesbotbol said:


> Close. Actually the port bottles were opened with port tongs.
> 
> The tongs are cast iron and are heated red hot with a torch. Once red hot, they are clapped around the port bottle neck for a couple of minutes, then once removed, a cold wet towel is wrapped around the neck and the heat difference makes a "clank" and breaks neck of the bottle perfect. This is done so the bottle can be broken around the cork to verify the vintage. Very old fashion way of opening port, but it's the way many collectors open vintage port. Cork screws usually destroy the cork.
> 
> One is suppose to be able to use a sabre to break the end off a port bottle, but I have never tried.


Oh wow that is cool! I'm glad the question was asked.


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## sgoselin (Dec 12, 1997)

Great post. I love Port. I certainly do not get the opportunity that often to drink the quality Ports that you are describing. Graham is a great house, probably my overall favorite. Probably the best single Port I have had the pleasure of drinking was a 77 Fonseca. At one time I had a few bottles of 70 Fonseca, but I thought the 77 blew it away. Ah, fond memories.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

A week has passed and thought I'd share last night's treats. 1970 Sandeman and 1967 Taylor Vargellas. Both are rare. 1970 is considered one of the best port vintages of all time. 1967 is rare, and the Vargellas bottlings of Taylor are super rare here for anything of age.








Our cigar selection was 2 Fundadores, Siglo VI, RASS, RJ Petite Churchill and '06 Part. LE.

The Taylor was oxidized, but we could see that a prestine bottle of this would be out of this world. The Sandeman was excellent, showing fruit, good balances, but light on the nose. I prefer the 80 Sandeman so far, but would like to do a Sandeman vertical some time.

I have 63, 70, 80, and 94's in my collection. Anyone around Boston that has other years, please let me know and we can have a splendid tasting


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## jack7382 (Mar 11, 2008)

you are the man! i am sitting here drooling thinking about all that GREAT Port! :tu


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

jack7382 said:


> you are the man! i am sitting here drooling thinking about all that GREAT Port! :tu


Thanks. Someone is coming in from Canada that is member of one the port forums I am on and we intend to show him a good old port time this weekend. Not sure what we are going to open, but probably 3-4 bottles.


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## Gov (Mar 17, 2008)

mosesbotbol said:


> Close. Actually the port bottles were opened with port tongs.
> 
> The tongs are cast iron and are heated red hot with a torch. Once red hot, they are clapped around the port bottle neck for a couple of minutes, then once removed, a cold wet towel is wrapped around the neck and the heat difference makes a "clank" and breaks neck of the bottle perfect. This is done so the bottle can be broken around the cork to verify the vintage. Very old fashion way of opening port, but it's the way many collectors open vintage port. Cork screws usually destroy the cork.
> 
> One is suppose to be able to use a sabre to break the end off a port bottle, but I have never tried.


Hey mosesbotbol: Let me know when that book comes out. I spent a month and change in Portugal. That is the way they open all the port bottles in Porto and the rest of Portugal. Even went to dinner at my friends Uncle's house and he broke out a 20 year old Port with the tongs. UMMMM Delish!!! Wish I could remember the name of it. LOL. I tried to smuggle home a pair of port tongs from my trip and Customs swiped them on me. Well keep enjoying life!!!!


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## tedski (Oct 1, 2004)

mosesbotbol said:


> Close. Actually the port bottles were opened with port tongs.
> 
> The tongs are cast iron and are heated red hot with a torch. Once red hot, they are clapped around the port bottle neck for a couple of minutes, then once removed, a cold wet towel is wrapped around the neck and the heat difference makes a "clank" and breaks neck of the bottle perfect. This is done so the bottle can be broken around the cork to verify the vintage. Very old fashion way of opening port, but it's the way many collectors open vintage port. Cork screws usually destroy the cork.
> 
> One is suppose to be able to use a sabre to break the end off a port bottle, but I have never tried.


Interesting. But as you are basically breaking the bottle - is the possibility of glass shards falling into the wine ever an issue?


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

tedski said:


> Interesting. But as you are basically breaking the bottle - is the possibility of glass shards falling into the wine ever an issue?


Not an issue, as the port is then funnled through muslin or cheesecloth into a decanter. Some bottle crack 1/8" up the cork, so you're still pulling the cork out. Depends on the shape of the bottle.


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## DETROITPHA357 (Jul 8, 2006)

mosesbotbol said:


> Thanks. The fancy evenings are like 1900, 1927, 1945, 1896... My friend is writing a book on port so just about every weekend we drink 3-5 different ones. I think we've had over 100 vintages.


Can I walk in your shoes for a few daysl


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

*Porto Night - New Pic*

Had some great port on Saturday with my friend. Three bottles for two people make for a slow start in the morning.


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